New Technique Could Unleash the 3D Metal Printing Beast

A new 3D Metal Printing technique called electophography-based additive manufacturing could portend of a bright future for 3D metal printing very soon if the claims are lived up to, mainly, that thte technique will make 3D printing 50 times faster than the dominant form of 3d printing, inkjet. If this pans out as promised, then 3D printing at the commercial and home level will explode. Read our article on the power of 3D printing.

The scalable nature, and speed, of inkjet printing methods make them appealing for those seeking to bring 3D printing into a manufacturing workflow. For those using inkjet 3D printing methods for metal a unifying factor is the use of a material more frequently used in the Metal Injection Molding (MIM) industry – MIM powder.

This year Markforged, Desktop Metal, 3DEO and others still flying below the radar join companies such as ExOne and ZCorp (now 3D Systems) who have long commercialized the binder jetting process developed at MIT in the 1990s.

Material suppliers are also increasingly targeting this segment. For example, PyroGenesis is “seeing a potentially explosive demand” for MIM cut powder.

China is looking to become a top power in space with the launch of a new super satellite that will probe “the most violent corners of the cosmos.” The super satellite will probe deep space with x-rays. […]